Riva is one of the most renowned boat brands in the world, well known for its iconic features. The history of Riva boats dates back in 1842 when Pietro Riva began constructing and repairing boats on Lake Iseo in Northern Italy after a sudden storm brought huge damage to the fleet.

The initial boats made by Riva were established in the lake regions, and thanks to his great skills, Riva was able to build high-quality boats with incredible features. Over the years, Riva boats continued to thrive under the management of Ernesto Riva. He innovated the idea of combustion engines on boats to help travelers and cargo to cruise the lake.

After World War II, Riva marked a turning point in its operations as it shifted away from the production of transport equipment to power-boating. Serafino Riva, who took control of the operations, majorly focused on developing motor powerboats to promote leisure crafts at boat races. In the 1930s, Riva progressively built several racing boats, setting an enormous record in both national and international competitions.

Throughout the 1950s, Riva became famous for manufacturing mahogany racing boats with exceptional safety features, and a few years later, it embarked on a journey of manufacturing fiberglass model boats. These fiberglass models became their strategy in the long run. However, the production of wooden boats continued until 1996 when Riva built the last Aquarama Special.

Since its launch many decades ago, Riva continues to create a good reputation in the boating industry by building large and more classy superyachts. The success of the Italian shipyard can be associated with numerous factors, for instance, its desire to develop the best quality, classy and gorgeous boats.

Riva provides you with the most exclusive brands and the latest designs in the market today. In the following, we will introduce some of the iconic models that have dominated the market until today. This will hopefully move you a step closer to find the perfect Riva vintage boat.

Riva Tritone

The Riva Tritone (as it can be seen in our Museum) can be considered as the ancestor of the mythical Aquarama. The front seats can be laid flat to enable travelers to sunbathe. The dashboard has gorgeous bezel instruments. The production of Tritone began way back in the 1950s. The boat is very comfy, and approximately six to eight people can be carried in it. No wonder many famous celebrities, entrepreneurs, and even Prince Rainier of Monaco own a Riva Tritone as it reflects a sophisticated passion for boats.

Riva Super Florida

The Riva Florida series is designed with a classy style while named after the American state of Florida. The state-of-the-art technology used to make it is elegant and appealing to every passionate boat owner. The Riva Super Florida is a more enhanced and extensive version of the Florida with an engine capable of 220 hp.

Riva Olympic

This yacht was named after the Olympic games, which took place in Mexico City. The Riva Olympic is the refurbished version of Super Florida, which was designed in 1968. The yacht can accommodate up to six people and is particularly made for people who love water skiing and day trips.

The Riva Olympic boat we are currently offering functions properly. Its engine was renovated in 2012. Thanks to the engine capacity of 220 hp, the boat’s performance is exceptional.

Riva Ariston

This well-known model was used in movies like “Mambo.” The first series from 1956 was fitted with a six-cylinder Chris Craft 58 hp engine. The bulwarks built in solid mahogany boards makes the boat a special model among vintage Riva boats. It is considered as one of the boats that Carlo Riva was most proud of.

The Riva Ariston you can find among our current offers is in perfect condition and ready to cruise.

Riva Junior

Riva Junior is one of the models that has thrived in the market successfully since its launch in 1966. It has an engine capacity of 180 hp and can accelerate up to a speed of 40 mph. The design incorporates an open cockpit that provides quite a large space for a small-sized boat. Riva produced around 620 units of this series.

The masonry walls of the Riva Junior in our exclusive collection were painted white to contain construction costs and to keep the price more affordable back in the 60s.

Riva Aquarama

The Riva Aquarama is a luxurious wooden yacht. It is one of the most renowned designs of Riva, and it has grown to be prosperous in the long run. The engine capacity of the yacht ranges between 185 hp to 400 hp per engine. All models of this amazing boat are developed with a twin engine. The speed is about 45 to 50 knots. Besides appearances in movies like James Bond GoldenEye or Ocean’s Twelve, the Aquarama is mentioned in Jeremy Clarkson’s book “I Know You Got Soul.”

The Riva Aquarama of 1971 that can be found in our collection is one of a particularly rare series of Aquarama because only a few models were made with two air intakes on the sides. Moreover, it is also one of the last boats built by Carlo Riva himself.

Choose the perfect riva boat for your purpose

As you can see, Riva is an Italian boat manufacturer with long term experience in the boating industry. Typically, every yacht made from Riva  – which is a part of the Ferretti Group since 2000 – has the power to lure you by its stylish designs.

The boats are designed to meet each client’s requirements ever since. Finding the perfect Riva vintage boat will entirely depend on your desires and the purpose that you want the boat to serve.

We are happy to help you find the right Riva vintage boat. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.